Zharak
King of the Screaming Vortex, Sire of the Obsidian Empire "For the warrior, the only crime is cowardice." — Attributed to Primarch Horus Lupercal Denithar Zharak, Assault Captain of the Sons of Horus, Veteran-Justaerin, gang lord of Cthonia, The Black Tyrant. Over the course of his long life the post-human Denithar Zharak had attained many titles, honours and infamy, but it was his time as a proud legionnaire under the service of his gene-father Horus that was the most defining. Already a young leader of a vicious killer gang Denithar took to the arts of warfare and leadership well once he was inducted into the Luna Wolves for the Great Crusade. Over the course of two centuries Denithar survived and led his men to victory over and over again. On the world of Ballax-Prime his Company clashed against a mighty Ork empire, and when his Captain fell in battle against the Ork warlord Gazkrag Bonesnappa he took up his brother's shattered blade and avenged his death. During the Castigation of Terentius he was responsible for reaping a terrible toll against the command structure of the rebellious forces. By the time Horus had been named Warmaster of the fledgling Imperium, Denithar had been elevated to the rank of Captain amongst the honoured Justaerin Terminator elite. As a leader of such an elite brotherhood, Denithar was fueled by his ambition to one day overtake the First Captain Ezekyle Abaddon to stand at the side of his father Horus Lupercal. Even when the Horus demanded that he slaughter his loyalist brothers did he only comply but took up the task with utmost zeal, for Horus' dream of becoming the new Emperor would provide Denithar the opportunity of truly becoming his father's right hand. So it was during the Battle of Isstvan III and the Drop Site Massacre of Istvaan V that he took it upon his company, the "Tyrant Breakers", to slaughter as many of his Loyalist brethren as they could, reveling not in glory of killing fellow at last worthy opponents in the chaos of close combat, and but to ensure his spot in the Warmaster's new Imperium. For seven years the Horus Heresy raged. For seven years Denithar Zharak led his Tyrant Breakers into combat against their brothers. At last the tragic last battle awaited the Traitors, for Horus had finally begun the Battle of Terra. In the opening hours of planetfall after his Justaerin squad made multiple shock attacks cracking the defences of spaceports to secure main landing areas. Once the Traitor forces breached past the outer walls of the Golden Palace did the Tyrant Breakers join the battle in earnest. However this battle would not prove to be the glorious moment he had envisioned, instead his squad took catastrophic casualties from the suicidal berserker charge of the Blood Angels. Above in orbit Horus had just slain the Primarch Sanguinius, driving his legion reeling in psychic bloodlust forever known as the Black Rage, and under the assault of such superhuman hatred the Tyrant Breakers buckled and were shattered upon that holy world. Cutting down the angelic sons of the ninth legion Zharak was confronted by Azkaellon himself. The two titans clashed with skill and fury unmatched, one driven by insane grief and the other for the thirst to slay a most worthy foe. But end in end it was for naught, the martial prowess and Red Rage that fueled Azkaellon allowed him to smash Denithar's blade aside and dealt him a mortal wound. But by some dark miracle Denithar clung to life surrounded by his butchered honour guard, and upon life sensors that their Captain was still alive his support squads dragged his body from the breach, his armour and body bloody and broken. With the crushing defeat of Horus and the full rout of the Traitor Legions, Zharak retreated to the Eye of Terror with the remainder of the humiliated Sons of Horus. Once Abaddon returned and wrested control of his Legion and delivered the news that he had slain Horus' clone and claimed the mantle of Warmaster did Denithar realize that his ambitions for ruling a mighty force of his own would by crushed under the heel of the First Captain. From there he fled to the Screaming Vortex with his fellow brothers, slaying all who would oppose him, and occasionally taking supplicants under his leadership. Retaining his arrogance as a former Chieftain of the Sons of Horus, he strives to make his name a byword for terror and fear in the Screaming Vortex. His warband the "Obsidian Lords" have been exhausted in a number of savage conflicts against opposing warbands who would wipe out the arrogant upstarts, and as a result the only remaining members being a handful of select important (and lucky) individuals. Since then Zharak has built the foundations of his Black Empire by conquering the world of Arcem. Driven by a fiery hatred towards the Imperium and a thirst to become the uncontested overlord of the Screaming Vortex, Zharak will stop at nothing to gain rebuild his warband's strength, and once he has gained the fealty of the most powerful of warbands will he launch a mighty Black Crusade into the heart of the Calixis Sector and beyond. Achievements * Defeated said C'tan shard in a single swing. * Took over the planet of Saint Annard's Penance by driving it into the Screaming Vortex and rechristening the planet as Arcem. * Has a deal for large quantities of prometheum and food supplies with the Oil Baron Nik von Krosigk. * Obtained a tome filled with dark lore about the Chaos God Khorne. * Survives meltabombs to the chest like as if it they were acid filled water balloons. * Mastered the Bloodthirster N'ch'sam'elon. Personality Chaos Lord Zharak has a egotistical streak that could only be found in one who was a Captain of the Luna Wolves during both the Great Crusade and the Horus Heresy. He also knows the value of having a varied force under his banner, whether it be Marine, human, or even Xenos. However despite this outlook, Zharak still views humans as expendable cannon fodder and prefers working alongside fellow marine brothers. Even then, only those that can prove themselves useful to his cause will earn a side at his place. His disrespect of humans is so volatile that if it were for not his relatively stable mind (compared to most followers of Chaos) he would likely slaughter them for the slightest infraction, and wouldn't hesitate to kill arrogant human warlords that would seek his allegiance without giving the proper respect first. As a Champion of Chaos, Zharak commands his underlings with an iron fist, preferring to motivate them through intimidation and threats of what will happen if they fail him. Zharak constantly seeks foes worthy enough to taste death by his blade, and thus dedicates his veneration to the Blood God Khorne to better suit his whims. However he particularly disdains the mindless mass slaughters that so many Khorne worshipers revel in and instead wages his battles in a precise manner that would be befitting of a Son of Horus, preferring to reap the skulls of enemy warlords and champions for Khorne. When dealing with other Heretics that worship the other Chaos Gods he does not let his disdain for their choice reflect in his demeanor, and instead chooses to take a diplomatic stance... when he can be bothered to consider them as allies. Unlike most Khorne devotees Zharak openly acknowledges the necessary need of psykers and tolerates them for their unnatural abilities. However in combat he truly despises sorcery, viewing such tactics fit for cowards who cannot rely on their own strength, believing that those who borrow power from the Dark Gods will ultimately pay the price for their arrogance. This leaves Amor as what he believes to be the most useless member of his warband, nothing more than a cowardly waste of gene seed, as he constantly relies on his warp powers to aid him and brings nothing of value that Kel'garath could not do himself, not to mention Amor's anarchic behaviour. He is also quite fond of his suit of highly detailed Terminator Armour that incorporates both elements of its base Cataphractii design with pieces from the more commonplace Indomitus pattern. He almost never seen out of it, as it is a reminder of the Justaerin he once led. He finds it amusing to refer himself as a genetic descendant as of the Emperor of Mankind in the presence of loyalists to watch their reactions, being one of the first Space Marines created. After all, he knows that the Emperor is no god, merely a man granted the cowardly psychic powers of the Warp, a fact he is reminded of when he see's fellow Marines flaunt psychic powers in his presence, endangering themselves to be fed to his ever hungering blade. - "From this planet I shall forge my empire from the ashes and bones of the unworthy. None shall stop my ascension." - Lord Zharak upon conquering Saint Annard's Penance Combat Doctrine Although supremely confident in his swordsmanship, he rarely initiates combat himself and prefers to let his "allies" do much of the dirty work for him, only engaging in combat with foes who seem worthy for him to collect their skull. When commanding his Obsidian Lords he prefers to conduct warfare with a series of lightning fast strikes to harass his enemies. These sharp but limited assaults are meant to disrupt the enemy and secure positions that can be used for fire support. This in turn keeps the pressure on while new attacks are being prepared. The time-lapse between each assault decreases with each advance, and which Zharak will usually wait until the pressure reaches the highest point. When this occurs he will lead the most accomplished and deadly warriors in a final brutal assault. When he engages in melee, he unleashes his full fury, either unleashing a flurry of blows or crushing his victims with an unstoppable attack. Flanked by his bodyguards Zharak carves a bloody path through lesser enemies to engage the opposing champions in single combat, briefly saluting his foe before cutting him down in a single stroke with his Daemon Weapon Godrender. = Stories = Battle of Isstvan III Battle of Isstvan V Characteristics Skills Athletics, Awareness, Common Lore (War), Command +20, Deceive, Dodge, Forbidden Lore (Adeptus Astartes, The Horus Heresy, Long War, Daemonology), Intimidate +10, Linguistics (Low Gothic), Navigate (Surface), Operate (Surface), Parry +20, Scholastic Lore (Tactica Imperialis), Survival Talents & Traits Traits: Amphibious, Unnatural Strength (+4), Unnatural Toughness (+4). Talents: Ambidextrous, Bulging Biceps, Legion Weapon Training, Heightened Senses (Hearing, Sight), Nerves of Steel, Quick Draw, Resistance (Cold, Heat, Psychic Powers, Poisons), Unarmed Warrior, Air of Authority, Ancient Warrior, Enemy (Adeptus Astartes), Hatred (Adeptus Astartes, Imperial Guard), Jaded, Lightning Reflexes, Unshakeable Will, Peer (Traitor Legions, Warlords), Leverage, Cleaving Swings, Frenzy, Berserk Charge, Pity the Weak, Combat Master, Battle Rage, Furious Assault, Killing Strike, Blademaster, Blood God's Contempt, Crushing Blow, Swift Attack, Lightning Attack, Blood Fury, Flesh Render Equipment Lightning Claw, Legion Combi-Bolter, Legion Power Sword, Godrender, Terminator Armour, Legion Power Armour, Skull Totem, Cranial Armour (Good), Trophy Rack, Micro bead, Legion Combat Knife, Legion Bolt Pistol, 1 Legion Krak Grenade, 1 Legion Frag Grenade Main Equipment: Godrender: Melee - 2d10+6 R - Pen 6 - Good Quality, Power Field, Tainted, Tearing Lightning Claw: Melee - 1d10+6 E - Pen 8 - Power Field, Proven (4), Special Legion Power Sword: Melee - 1d10+6 E - Pen 6 - Power Field, Balanced Legion Combi-Bolter: Basic - 1d10+9 X - Pen 4 - Range: 80m - S/4/- - Clip 32 - 2 Full - Tearing, Twin-linked Corruption Points: 90 Wounds: 20 Gifts of the Gods / Rewards of the Dark Gods Hand of Khorne: 2d10 Pen 8; Devastating (3), -20 on Stealth Visage of War Mark of Khorne Inhospitable Aura Total Tyranny Category:40K Category:PC Category:Space Marine Category:Black Crusade Category:Kono Category:Male